by KB Winters
I slipped my thumb under her chin and tilted her face back up. “Come on, Gwen. It’s me. We used to be pretty good at this talking thing, ya know, before we discovered we were pretty damn good at other things.”
She smiled and I tallied it up as a small victory. “Pretty damn good?”
“Uh huh.”
Damn it, I wanted to take her in my arms and get my hands all over her body. She was wearing her favorite pair of jeans, black boots, and a black sweater. Nothing fancy or over the top sexy but she could wear a paper bag and look like the hottest woman on the planet.
“I’m scared, Carson,” she finally admitted.
“Scared?”
“I think I’m feeling too much, too fast.”
My heart skipped a few beats as it sputtered into a triple time pace. “There’s no such thing. It’s not something you can control, baby.”
“Well that’s kind of the problem,” she said with a watery smile. “I’m a little bit of a control freak and when I feel like this…like everything is chaotic and wild, I shut down. And between your busy life and my new job and the case—”
“I know. It’s fucked up.”
She nodded. “Real fucked up. We don’t even know where you’ll be playing next season.”
My eyebrows rose up my forehead. I’d purposefully not brought that possibility up with her, mostly because the idea of leaving her was more than I could take, without telling her and having to have a real conversation about it.
She shrugged. “I’ve heard a few things, here and there.”
I grabbed her other hand and held them both tight. “I don’t know what will happen next season, but I don’t want to lose you. No matter where I end up. We can make it work. People do it all the time.”
She smiled, but it was full with sadness and didn’t quite make it to her eyes.
“I’ve lost a lot in my life, Gwen,” I started, my voice shaky. “I don’t know who my dad is, my mom’s not in my life because she chooses not to be. I didn’t have a shot at a normal childhood and I’ve never really let myself get too attached to things, or places, and certainly not people. But that changed when I met you. Suddenly, it was like a wall broke down and I couldn’t get it built back up fast enough to keep you out. And now, I’m so thankful I couldn’t. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. This last week has been hell for me, wondering what you’re thinking and whether or not I’d ever get to see you again. I couldn’t handle the thought that we might have already had our last kiss or said our last goodnight to each other.”
Gwen’s tears poured freely as I spoke and I paused only long enough to swipe them away with my thumb. “I love you, Gwen. I’m fucking crazy about you. Since that first time I saw you at the diner. I think about you all the freakin’ time.”
“I don’t want to either,” she whispered. “I’ve never felt like this before. When I’m with you, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, but when we’re apart, my mind wanders and I worry.”
I stroked my hand up the side of her face. “You don’t have to worry, baby. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere and no matter what happens next, I’ll still be here.”
Her lashes fluttered closed as I leaned in to brush a soft kiss to the lips I’d been aching to feel for days. I pulled her hips and brought her in close, needing every inch of her against me, to assure me that she was really there and that the words we’d said were real too.
She smiled when we pulled apart to catch our breath. She snaked a hand up between us and toyed with the hair that had fallen across my forehead. “I also kinda need you to do me a favor…”
“Anything, but right now, we have something else we need to do.” Without warning, I scooped her up from the couch and tossed her over my shoulder, laughing at the girly squeal as I carried her off to the bedroom.
“Caveman!” she bellowed, playfully slapping at my ass.
I patted her ass and tossed her onto the bed. I lowered down over her, my body covering hers, and kissed her fiercely, only pulling back when we were both breathless. “You like it.”
She framed my face with her hands and gently pulled me back to hers. “I love it, because I love you.”
“I love you too, Gwen.”
The kiss that followed was hot enough to melt the wallpaper right off the walls. What had actually been days apart, suddenly felt like years, and I was like a starving man who couldn’t get enough. My hands searched her body, peeling away clothing as fast as I could. Gwen’s own eagerness matched mine and within minutes, we were both stripped naked and tangled together under the sheets.
I was addicted to the way it felt to watch her body respond to my touch. Every graze of my fingertips made her shudder. Every kiss made her gasp. And when my fingers slipped deep inside of her, I was rewarded with a satisfied moan that echoed through my ears long after it left her lips. Gwen was everything I hadn’t realized that I was missing from my life and I would do whatever it took to keep her there.
“What are you thinking about?” Gwen asked, toying with my nipples.
I nipped at her hand and she giggled. “I’m thinking about how damn beautiful you are.” I slid down her body and captured the inside of her thigh with my mouth, leaving a trail of kisses along the tender flesh until she had her fingernails buried in my back muscles and was whimpering, begging me to move my mouth over her slick pussy. The taste of her excitement had me hard as a rock, pulsing for release, but I steadied myself, determined to take my time. I’d missed her smell, her taste, and the sexy little noises she made when I sucked her pussy and fucked her deep and hard with my fingers.
I wanted it all.
Gwen gasped when my fingers slid inside of her, and her begging became more frantic as I blew a hot breath over her soaking wet pussy. Her juices slid down her swollen lips and I finally gave in and lapped them away, letting the taste of her melt on my tongue. Her nails dug into my shoulders and I went back for a second taste. “Damn, baby, you’re so sweet, like sugar.”
She arched her back and rolled her hips. Her tight walls clenched around my fingers as I fucked her with them and I smiled, knowing just how close she was already. “Fuck. Right there, baby. Right. Fucking. There.”
I stroked her g-spot and sucked her clit into my mouth, teasing it between my tongue and lips and Gwen crashed over the edge, her body convulsing and shuddering violently. I pinned her hips down and gently sucked her until she gave a final shudder and went still, the sound of her frantic breathing the only sound.
After a few moments, a giggle burst from her lips and I smiled up at her, taking a quick perusal of her full breasts and soft stomach on the way to those lips that drove me crazy. “What?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I just…missed you.”
I chuckled and moved up her body, licking and sucking her nipples as I passed them. “I missed your sweet little pussy.”
“I can feel that,” she teased, rocking against my hard-on, moving her hips to slide herself against my shaft.
When I entered her, I nearly lost control on the first pulse. She was so tight and eager, claiming me and dragging me deeper. I’d had my share of lovers but none of them got me like Gwen. Her body was meant for mine and I was never going to let another man near her.
She was mine.
All mine.
I thrust deep, hissing as I struggled to keep it together. Gwen’s eyes went big and round and I got lost in the velvety brown pools.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gwen
I was almost afraid to go to sleep for fear that my dreams could no longer match up to the beauty and warmth of my reality as I lay in Carson’s arms. I didn’t want to miss a single moment, a second of memorizing the way it felt to be tucked so safely in his arms. But eventually, the gentle rise and fall of his chest did me in and I drifted off to sleep. We woke up the next morning tangled in the sheets and with each other. When my eyes fluttered open, they found Carson’s watching me.
“Morning,” I wh
ispered.
“Morning, beautiful girl.”
I smiled and he stole a quick kiss. “How long have you been watching me like that?”
“Why? Is it creepy?”
“Little bit,” I teased, laughing softly.
“Too bad,” he said, flashing a broad smile. “So, last night you mentioned something about a favor. Any chance that was sexual?” Carson asked, giving me a wiggle of his eyebrows.
I laughed and shook my head. “No.”
“Damn.” He chuckled and tugged me closer. “What is it, seriously?”
“Do you have practice today?”
“Nope. I’m supposed to be packing. We fly out Monday morning to LA. We have a week of press stuff and events all leading up to the big game.”
“Sounds…fun?”
He chuckled. “Well, I was kind of hoping you could go with me and find out for yourself. I booked a flight a while back but then everything kind of…went sideways. But it’s yours if you want it.”
“Really?”
“Mmhmm.”
I propped myself up on my elbow. “I have court on Monday. It’s the hearing for Vinnie to see about getting his case reopened. I can’t reschedule. But…maybe I could come out mid-week?”
“Sure. What time is the hearing?”
“Ten.”
“All right. I’ll see if I can switch it to Wednesday.”
“LA, huh? I’ve never been.”
Carson grinned. “Well, pack a swimsuit and some over-sized shades, baby, you’re leaving the igloo life behind.”
“Woohoo!”
He laughed and kissed me again. “So, this favor?”
“Right, right. I need you to come sign some autographs.”
“Autographs?”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “You’ll see when we get there.”
Carson continued to give me a skeptical eye but agreed, and after a little coaxing, I got him out of bed.
About half an hour later, we arrived at the DA’s office. After the failed meeting last week with Mr. O’Brian, my boss, Mr. Bennington, agreed to let me use our technicians if I needed any help getting video footage or tracking down phone records, bank statements, or other techy info. I filled Carson in on what I’d found on the video footage I’d gotten from Cassie as we drove over.
“So, you think he went back to get the backpack?”
I nodded. “And if he did, and we can catch him on camera, it’ll prove he wasn’t there at the time of the attack. On top of that, when I went to re-visit the victim, I got him to agree to testify that he’s no longer sure that his original identification was correct.”
“Wow! That’s pretty huge, isn’t it?”
“I hope so. It was a few years ago, but when I talked to him to confirm the times and places, he kind of…broke down. He’s felt guilty all these years, like a nagging feeling that maybe he’d made a mistake.”
“Shit.”
“Right?”
We started down a long, beige hallway. “You really think this is going to work?” Carson asked out of the side of his mouth.
“It better.”
We were shown to a small room that held two cubicles that split off two separate work stations. The walls were plastered with Cannons posters and I smiled as I remembered the deal I’d struck with them the day before. The two techs were gathered at one of the computer monitors but they both looked up when we entered the room. “Hello,” I started. “As promised, this is Carson Stiles. Carson, this is Jeremy Plant and Mike Daniels. They do the techy work here.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Carson said, extending his hand to each of them in turn.
Both men looked star-struck and my hope started to rise again. “So, do we have a deal, gents? I bring you Carson and you give me what I need top priority.”
Mike nodded. “You got it!”
Carson grinned down at me as the two men went to work. “So you’re just using me for my name, huh?”
“Among other things,” I said, flashing him a sly wink.
One of the men cleared his throat and spun a monitor around. “Think you’re gonna wanna see this,” he said. We leaned in and the footage moved forward. Five minutes before the assault took place, the footage from a security camera across the street showed Vinnie going through the front doors of the center and then leaving ten minutes later, backpack slung over his shoulders.”
I couldn’t speak for a long moment. It was right there, definitive proof that he’d had nothing to do with the attack happening blocks away. He’d been inside the center the entire time, retrieving the backpack he’d forgotten earlier.
“Wow, guys,” I breathed out a long exhale. “This is it.”
****
The day I’d been dreaming of was finally in front of me. Vivi and I were standing outside the courtroom where we’d go as soon as the previous session was dismissed. I’d present the new evidence I’d found and hope it was enough to get the judge to reexamine Vinnie’s case and allow him to have a fair shot at a retrial.
“How are you feeling?” Vivi asked, squeezing my arm.
I jolted at her touch and quickly apologized. “Sorry, I’m just…” I studied the worry lines etched around Vivi’s eyes. We were the same age, but these last years had taken a toll on her and added years to her pretty face. “I’m ready to get started. That’s all.”
She gave a thin smile and nodded. “Me too,” she agreed, barely managing to get her voice above a whisper.
The bailiff appeared in the doorway of the courtroom and signaled for me to get ready. I sucked in a quick breath, threw my shoulders back, and swept my briefcase from the bench outside the door. A few minutes later, I was at the front table, seated beside Vinnie, papers in hand, ready to speak as soon as the judge was seated. The doors at the back of the room opened and I craned around to see Vivi and Vinnie’s parents entering. Time had aged them too. My eyes darted to Vivi and realized that she’d had no idea they’d be there. I stiffened, waiting for an outburst, but instead, Vivi melted like a woman who’d been holding it all together for way too long on her own. She collapsed into her dad’s arms and the three of them shed quiet tears and whispered greetings.
“Did you know about this?” I asked Vinnie under my breath.
He shook his head. “I didn’t even know about this.”
I pat his arm as tears glistened in his eyes as he watched the scene unfolding before him.
His parents looked over at him and reached out to offer some comfort while we stood for the judge to enter and take the bench.
“You may all be seated,” the bailiff said, and Vivi and her parents sat down so the court session could begin. “Ms. Bristol, it is my understanding that you have new evidence in hopes of overturning Vincent Monroe’s conviction?”
I nodded. “Yes, Your Honor. I do.”
Judge Harris waved her hand. “All right, you may begin.”
“Thank you, Your Honor.” I drew in a quick breath and went to work, systematically laying out each piece of evidence in the case and showcasing the new evidence I’d dug up. Vinnie doubled back to Harvest House to retrieve his backpack so he couldn’t have been where the assault took place within the time limit.
A tense quiet fell over the court room as I concluded my presentation and went back to the table beside Vinnie. “As you can see, Your Honor, the timeline that was originally put together by the prosecutor doesn’t work. Mr. Monroe couldn’t have been there.”
The judge gestured for me to sit down and I took my seat, smoothing my skirt down as I sat. Vinnie caught my eye and placed his hand on top of mine for a quick moment, just long enough to convey his thanks without drawing too much attention.
“Ms. Bristol,” the judge began, still considering the still photos in front of her. “Normally, these hearings are to determine whether an appeal trial is even necessary. However, in this case, given the new evidence presented and the statement from the victim that they are no longer sure that their original identification was co
rrect, I am not going to grant an appeal, but rather, I am going to overturn this conviction and put this case back into law enforcement’s hands to find the man who is responsible for this attack.”
My eyes went wide and I scrambled to my feet. “Thank you. Thank you, Your Honor.”
“Mr. Monroe, you have the courts sincerest apologies. You are now released from custody.” She nodded and banged her gavel. The proclamation final.
I could barely stay on my feet as my legs trembled. We’d done it! After all these years, all the digging and questioning, it had all paid off. Vinnie would be free, and from the looks of it, restored to his family to mend the bonds that had been ripped apart over the entire ugly affair.
Vinnie wrapped me tightly in his arms, freely sobbing against my shoulder. “Thank you, Gwenie. Thank you for never giving up on me.”
I couldn’t find any words so I just nodded and clung tightly to him for as long as he would let me. Vinnie wasn’t the hugging kind of guy, so when he wrapped his arms around me, I knew it was real emotion.
Eventually, Vivi ripped me away from him and crushed me in her own bear hug. When she finally released me and clung to her brother, I moved over to shake hands with Vivi and Vinnie’s parents. They thanked me and asked how they could repay me, and I told them to just take care of Vivi and Vinnie, to which they tearfully agreed.
Vinnie was taken away to go back to the prison to be released from custody and Vivi left with her parents. As I watched them go, I shed a few of my own tears and breathed a deep sigh. It was finally over. Vinnie would be home by the end of the day and would finally be free of the nightmare he’d endured. It was a struggle to keep my feet on the floor as I gathered my belongings.
“Excuse me, Ms. Bristol,” a honey smooth voice drawled.
A laugh slipped from between my lips as I popped up from packing my briefcase and found Carson standing there, hands in the back pockets of his well-worn jeans. He gave me a lazy smile. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a plane right now?”
“I’m playing hooky,” he replied, grinning at me. “I couldn’t get here to watch the whole thing, but I’ll cop to sneaking in on you. Looks like you did one hell of a job.”